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Monthly Archives: February 2017

The Four Continents Championship is supposed to be the Asian, North America, and Australian response (I assume Africa and South America would be welcome too) to Europeans, but since its inception in 1999, it has had the great *distinction* of being extremely close to the Olympics, not being used in world team selection by the three most competitive countries at the competition, and being a huge schlep for at least half the event’s skaters, regardless of where it takes place. But this year, with the participation of top pairs, dance, and men’s skaters, and as the test event for the 2018 Olympic Games, Four Continents held a bit more excitement. Even the ladies, whose podium featured zero Grand Prix Finalists, zero national champions, and a medalist who didn’t even make the world championship team, put down stellar performances.

Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to track down several videos I was hoping to find for this post. If you find a video that’s missing, please send it this way!

And finally, here we are: thanks to these six judges for sitting at The Judges’ Table for this surprisingly exciting event!

Amber C. (@amberchamberlan) |A Skater’s PerspectiveTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I am a figure skater and I have been skating for 10 years, and competing for 3. I have been a fan for 4 years and attended the 2016 U.S Figure Skating Championships. I met Ashley Wagner twice, and it was awesome both times.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? I would have to go with Ashley Wagner’s short program at the Olympics. I totally agree with her reaction and thought that should have been scored higher.

Clara P. (@jimboppa) |You Only Lutz OnceTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I am the other half of skating blog You Only Lutz Once, as well as a founding member of Michael Christian Martinez (PHI)’s fansite Tropical Frost. I also try translating updates on Team Korea. Besides streaming, I’ve watched Four Continents in Taipei last season. (Yes, I was one of the two “banner-waving girls caught on TV too many times). Jin Seo Kim (KOR) hugged me at Asia Open Trophy earlier this August, and we had a conversation in both Korean and English.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Kim Yuna’s free skate at the 2014 Olympics. Enough said.

Elisa | TumblrTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I’ve been a roller skater for 15 years (and also competed nationally), but of course I am also into ice skating. I have always watched it, but become obsessed after the Sochi Olympics.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Satoko Miyahara’s FS at Worlds 2016 – she was well judged generally, but SO underscored if compared to the other ladies.

Emily W. (@Em_Wilmes)Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. My first live figure skating event was the 1998 World Championships. I have always loved figure skating and still bust out my skates occasionally and attempt a Karen Chen-esque spiral (although I am not as successful as she is). My first foray into publicly sharing my skating opinions came last year, when I was one of USFSA’s Fan Bloggers. Now I just tweet, mainly about the fit of the mens’ pants (looking at you, Jorik).What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Satoko in general is underscored a lot (in my opinion). Also Ashley. Duh.

Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I’m a figure skating fan who has never skated and now can skate only forward. Not much else. Figure skating was my family tradition when we watched the competition with my mum and grandma.

What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? It’s a popular choice, but Mao Asada Olympic FS in 2014.

Victor (@VictorShi12)Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I am a three-time Sectionals competitor.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Kim Yuna at the 2014 Olympics.

LET’S GET JUDGING. Click “continue reading” below to continue. When you’re finished reading, leave a comment to let us know what you thought about 4CC, how you think the real judges did, and how you think our judges did. If you disagree,sign up to judgean event later in the year and share your thoughts!Continue reading →

Just a quad or two to look forward to. But that’s not the only excitement: the ladies’ field is wide open. The pairs field is filled with newcomers to Four Continents and veterans who have yet to compete internationally this season. And in dance, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir should easily take gold, but as Americans were reminded at nationals last month, ice is slippery, and the rest of the top six could shake out in just about any order.

Thanks to our judges for sitting at the table this week!

Amber C. (@amberchamberlan) |A Skater’s PerspectiveTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I am a figure skater and I have been skating for 10 years, and competing for 3. I have been a fan for 4 years and attended the 2016 U.S Figure Skating Championships. I met Ashley Wagner twice, and it was awesome both times.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? I would have to go with Ashley Wagner’s short program at the Olympics. I totally agree with her reaction and thought that should have been scored higher.

Clara P. (@jimboppa) |You Only Lutz OnceTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I am the other half of skating blog You Only Lutz Once, as well as a founding member of Michael Christian Martinez (PHI)’s fansite Tropical Frost. I also try translating updates on Team Korea. Besides streaming, I’ve watched Four Continents in Taipei last season. (Yes, I was one of the two “banner-waving girls caught on TV too many times). Jin Seo Kim (KOR) hugged me at Asia Open Trophy earlier this August, and we had a conversation in both Korean and English.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Kim Yuna’s free skate at the 2014 Olympics. Enough said.

Elisa | TumblrTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I’ve been a roller skater for 15 years (and also competed nationally), but of course I am also into ice skating. I have always watched it, but become obsessed after the Sochi Olympics.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Satoko Miyahara’s FS at Worlds 2016 – she was well judged generally, but SO underscored if compared to the other ladies.

Emily W. (@Em_Wilmes)Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. My first live figure skating event was the 1998 World Championships. I have always loved figure skating and still bust out my skates occasionally and attempt a Karen Chen-esque spiral (although I am not as successful as she is). My first foray into publicly sharing my skating opinions came last year, when I was one of USFSA’s Fan Bloggers. Now I just tweet, mainly about the fit of the mens’ pants (looking at you, Jorik).What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Satoko in general is underscored a lot (in my opinion). Also Ashley. Duh.

Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I’m a figure skating fan who has never skated and now can skate only forward. Not much else. Figure skating was my family tradition when we watched the competition with my mum and grandma.

What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? It’s a popular choice, but Mao Asada Olympic FS in 2014.

Victor (@VictorShi12)Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I am a three-time Sectionals competitor.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Kim Yuna at the 2014 Olympics.

Despite crowning three reigning winners as the 2017 European Figure Skating Champions, Euros was about as exciting an event as you could ask for. Ice dance scoring changes! Illegal triple toes! Javier Fernandez / Russian men getting their swag back! An outstanding final group of pairs teams!

We now have to wait several week before we see if Four Continents can match the quality and drama of this year’s European Championships. In the meantime, before you go into figure skating withdrawal, here is our Euros rejudging! Thanks to all the judges who sat at the table for this event:

Aiden(@aidenaiena)Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. Have been a fan since 1994.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Mao Asada 2014 Olympic FS.

CarlaTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I’m a roller skater and I’ve been an avid fan of figure skating since I saw Yuna Kim at the 2010 Olympics. I attended the 2015-16 Grand Prix Final in Barcelona.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Ashley Wagner and Yuna Kim at the 2014 Olympics.

Francy S. (@fs_evolution) | Figure Skating EvolutionEvents Photography Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. Avid fan since the 2006 Winter Olympics! I try to attend live competitions whenever I can – most of my holidays are skating related I find watching practices fun and extremely interesting. Recently getting into skating photography too.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Weaver/Poje 2014 Worlds FD

Heidi M.(@heihei_0422)Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. Casually watched Euros and Worlds as a child, started to follow the sport more actively in late 2011 (why then? no idea) and now I’m at a point where every missed live stream of any A-level competition is A Failure At Life.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Satoko Miyahara’s free skate at 2016 Worlds.

Judit F.Tell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I was an ISU referee and ISU Technical Delegate until 2003. Since 2003 I have been a commentator for figure skating at Eurosport Hungary.What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Virtue and Moire contra Davis and White at the Olympic Games.

Keira C.(@tripletoes) |TumblrTell us a little about your experiences with figure skating or as a fan. I figure skated until I was 11, giving the sport up for horseback riding (which I regret). I got back into the sport, this time as a fan, during the 2014 US National Championships – and ever since, I’ve been obsessed!What’s your favorite grossly underscored skate of the last five years? Weaver/Poje’s 2015 Worlds FD. Beautifully choreographed and well skated – they should have gotten the gold.

LET’S GET JUDGING. Click “continue reading” below to continue. When you’re finished reading, leave a comment to let us know what you thought about Euros, how you think the real judges did, and how you think our judges did. If you disagree,sign up to judgean event later in the year and share your thoughts!